A friend suggested The Laundry for a catch-up Sunday roast...and as I'm always willing to try new…read moreplaces, I thought it seemed like a decent place(despite my apprehension about only 2 menu items...lamb or veggie). We arrived, and immediately our drink orders were taken...although it did take quite awhile to get the drinks. However, my £9 Bloody Mary was pretty tasty...spicy and strong. As there were only 2 options for food...ordering decisions were made pretty quickly. One thing I found a bit odd though, was if you decide when you order your meal that you want dessert too...it's a £1 cheaper. I'm not really a fan of having to decide if I want dessert before I've even touched my meal. When the food came out, it was very pretty...however it seemed like a pretty small portion for £16. Luckily, I'm a meat eater, so I got a nice hunk of very tender lamb, but my friend who is a veggie, had to make do with a couple mushrooms(although she said they were very good). I also had one, lone brussel sprout on my plate...although that was better than a friend who had 1/2 a brussel sprout. It almost seemed like the food was there to look pretty, rather than to eat....either that or a tasting menu. Regardless, all of the food was really nice...delicious flavors...and to be fair, I wasn't hungry when I finished. A few people in my party got dessert. What looked like a slop of chocolate mess, with green ice cream...ended up being really nice. A chocolate mousse of sorts, with green tea ice cream and bits of pineapple. It looked a bit odd...but tasted good. All-in-all, I would recommend The Laundry. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was good, and the food tasty. Just be prepared to spend a bit more than you might want...and if you are a vegetarian, maybe eat a snack before you go. Or if you are super picky about food, call beforehand to see what's on the menu, since there are only 2 options. I certainly won't eat here on a regular basis, but a great place for a special occasion.

Went here for their New Years Eve party…read more The ticket price was pretty high for what the venue provided. DJ was okay altho musics were a bit of a snore 90's leftovers - and even then, some of the most generic 90's musics around. I expected more from London. The droves of kids on drugs were just fine with the playlists. They need 2-3 more bars for the venue size. They couldn't really well serve the 1000+ patrons. They also need for bathrooms to support an event of this size. All in all I was happy to be out of London City Centre for New Years - and hey it could have been worse! My main letdown was the music. Free foto booth was a +. At some point people had vomited in the ball pit and they didn't shut it down :/ Seems someone popped the bounce house halfway thru the night. I realize the venue and the promoter using the space for the new years party are separate - this is my experience for NYE only.

Every now and again, one comes across a restaurant that's worth not eating much in the daytime for…read more Ah, here's one. I found this place because I was invited to attend a Qype event here and try out the menu. Looking at the prices I would say that the value / tasty ratio is favourable and this place is going straight into my Good Value Grub guide once I've penned this missive to you, gentle foodie reader. I say, old bean, walking into the Commonwealth Kitchen felt like I was being allowed into a rather swanky, yet (thank goodness) relaxed old members' club. Don't worry, one don't have to dress up too much, all the same I was glad I didn't have one's Three Keyboard Cat Moon t-shirt on. One could even rock a cocktail dress here. The contemporary-designed dining area is part of the Commonwealth Club situated just next door to the Sherlock Holmes pub, and a couple of minute's walk from Nelson's Column. Right. You will need a couple of hours to get the best out of this place, it's a destination dinner as opposed to a transient one you'd gobble down on the way to the cinema. You will also need to make sure to wear loose clothing. Initial thoughts were on how friendly the staff were, and their willingness to change what I had to accommodate the fact that I don't eat seafood was greatly appreciated. I called it a very unshellfish act. Puns aside, my broccoli veloute was a smooth and shiny soup which had a pleasing texture and fresh flavour. I then had the monkfish with baby gem foam and savoy cabbage, but the standout for me was the butternut squash risotto, which probably counts among the top 5 risottos I've had in my life. The other winner was the palate cleanser after the main course, a blood orange and candied ginger sorbet. This was delicious, despite the fact I don't really like blood orange or candied ginger. Of course I had room for dessert, which was duly stuffed in along with the rest of the banquet. So, here's a place where you can dress how you like, like eating stuff you might not like - and - like the food, like the decor and if you have good company (like I did), you'll like the entire evening. What's not to like?

It's very easy to walk past this restaurant, as from the outside you'd have no idea that it housed…read morea bar and place to eat. I imagine this is because a lot of members clubs deliberately want to hide themselves, so only the select few know where they are. Luckily for us The Commonwealth Club's kitchen is now open to the public and it's a great place to enjoy some extremely well presented and tasty food in a light and airy non crowded environment. You feel as though you're in one of the more accessible private member's clubs, with very attentive service and attention to detail, but without having to pay for the privilege of joining. Monkfish with orzo pasta was wonderful (although I probably could have done with a larger portion), but that wouldn't have left room for the very well cooked venison & pretty tasty apple cake with blackberry variations which followed. One of the better combinations of Apple & Blackberry (although a tech partnership of mobile handsets did come to mind). The dessert came with a standout glass of sweet cider which was a real eye opener (or should that be tongue opener) for me, as I'm not a fan of cider. I was kindly treated to a meal here as part of a Qype Guru event, but having looked at the prices on the menu, I'd definitely return, as it's very affordable for the standard of food & general ambience.

Sunday Roast was on my to do list and after traveling from the country side via train and tube from…read moreOxfordshire with suitcase and delays, I was delighted to find this cute pub next to my hotel. The service was friendly and I met the owner Sharon and we had a lovely chat. My roast arrived and it was just the meal I needed. Roast beef smothered in brown gravy, veggies cooked to perfection, and Yorkshire pudding (a light delicate bread) and I washed it down with a Diet Coke. Truly such savory meal that didn't feel heavy at all. With that fuel I hoped on thr tube and explored London. Priced fairly and a space with a rich musical history, I'd gladly be a water rat again!

We had some time to spare before catching our train from King's Cross, so we stopped by this spot…read morefor a quick breakfast. We kept it simple--just scrambled eggs with bread. The place had a nice, spacious vibe, and since it was really early, we pretty much had it all to ourselves. But what really made it special was what we found out afterward-- Here's the cool part: there's been a public house on this site for over 500 years! The current building was put up in 1878. It was a regular hangout for none other than Karl Marx and Lenin--how wild is that? The walls are covered with photos of famous performers who've been there, along with images from the Grand Order of Water Rats. The whole place just feels rich with history--both old and more recent. The pub was bought in 1986 by the Grand Order of Water Rats, a showbiz charity whose members have included legends like Charlie Chaplin, and currently, Rick Wakeman. Even cooler--it's where Bob Dylan played his first-ever UK gig back in the 1960s. Since then, it's hosted the London debuts of bands like The Pogues and Oasis. And in this tiny back room, they've had live performances by major international stars, including Katy Perry.

I thought the food here was exceptional. It's not a huge menu but the dishes served were tasty. The…read moreceviche starter was Delicious as was the lamb, best I've tasted in a long time. The boat does rock but the view makes up for it. So much happening on the river evening time. I would have given it 5 star but the starters didn't come up together.

After two visits I thought I should be in a better position to review it. I have to say, both times…read morethey were brilliant! As it's in a prime location, on a boat(!), in the river(!), I thought it would be super touristy, surviving off online offers, etc. My first visit was for a girls lunch. We had afternoon tea with bubbles! The finger sandwiches were nice - there was beef, cucumber and egg may and ham and mustard, a lot of nice cakes and freshly made scones. They had their bottoms cut off and when we asked about them (as we were curious), the staff apologised and said it was because they were slightly burnt and we were offered a bottle of prosecco! There was definitely enough food! My second visit was just a few weeks ago. We went for the lunch menu. We had Gratin of Baby Leeks, Quail Egg, Parmesan Crisp, Watercress and Mustard Dressing, Langoustine with Chili and Lemon Butter, Toasted Sourdough, and Smoked Haddock Fish Cake, Parsley Sauce to start and then for mains we ordered the Fish and Chips and Slow Roasted Pork Belly Garlic & Fennel, Slaw. Everything was beautifully presented and tasted REAL good but not as memorable as the fish and chips. The fish and chips was REALLY good. It was so fresh and the fish was really well seasoned. It was huge but not too much batter and the batter wasn't overly greasy either. I could SO eat that again! The service was brilliant both times. The staff are smiley and friendly. The setting in the restaurant is beautiful although the toilets need a little updating. Beware that the river can be a bit choppy on windy days. Worth visiting if you want a slightly special lunch!

Fantastic venue for hosting events and courses. Went there with work for a course…read more Nice crumpets with fresh marmalade and filter coffee for breakfast. Followed by biscuits and tea/coffee at mid-morning. Yummy lunch of smoked haddock and feta cheese tart with perfect pastry crust, and accompanied by lentil and beetroot, dill mayo new potatoes and a fresh mixed green leaf salad, and rounded off with a good creme brulee. A mid-afternoon treat of a variety of sweets that reminded me of my childhood was great way to finish the day. Amazed with the level of service, food and overall attention to detail to cater for all our needs. Friendly staff. Would strongly recommend.

Great little English (Gastro)Pub with relaxed vibe. We went as a group after a work meeting while…read morevisiting the area: sharing appetizers were Grilled vegetables, pita/hummus, calamari...all were very tasty. I had the cod fish & chips- it was served slightly after the rest of the group got their meals, but piping hot and delicious. My coworker had risotto with prawns which was exceptionally good. Overall the group had a great time/ meal. The owner was very attentive, friendly, and checked on the group multiple times...not to mention, very pretty. ;)

The bartenders manning the third floor at The Driver deserve a massive round of applause. The…read moreability to keep up with a room full of thirsty patrons without looking at all flustered is a rare talent. I didn't try them, but the bowls of steaming chips that came out from the kitchens (via dumbwaiter, apparently?) looked tantalising enough to warrant a return trip. Whether that be to the cosy pub on the ground floor or the proper restaurant on the first, I'm utterly game. Now, could someone clarify for me where the 'vertical garden' is? Is it really that growth of green shrubbery covering the exterior?!

Oh, how I miss The Drayton Court Hotel (insert heavy sigh of longing)…read more Our experience while staying at The Drayton Court, when visiting London for the 1st time (09/23/2023 - 09/26/2023), really was perfect & made our 1st international vacation that much more special. What makes The Drayton Court so special? See below for all the "Special-ness Specs"-- -Such a charming boutique hotel w/ all the London vibes (front of building is so pretty! See pics/videos posted w/ this review) - Historic (built in 1893) but doesn't feel outdated - Only has 26 rooms so no issues w/ noise, room was very clean & had a comfortable bed - It's a boutique hotel AND a pub (Fullers) all in one! Very convenient to grab some food and drinks at Fullers pub & then head back to your room afterwards. - Also has a beer garden! - Close to the West Ealing station..w/in walking distance - Great breakfast served in the Sitting Room - All employees were so friendly & very welcoming! The Drayton Court Hotel is definitely a hotel that I highly recommend for anyone to stay or just to visit Fullers Pub for some tasty food and drinks. Till next time, Rebecca

Love the quality, service, professionalism, ease of parking and Tube access, and of course…read morephenomenal made-to-order breakfast!

The Britannia is a fancy British pub / restaurant with classic fare in a traditionally-styles…read moreambiance. We got the set menu, which included a tasty beef tartare appetizer, a so-so roast, and a delish sticky toffee pudding. The staff were friendly, and the overall place was pretty relaxed and not that busy. It's a bit expensive, so I didn't think the quality was so good to justify the cost. But your mileage may vary.

Delicious food, very relaxing ambiance and great service. We came during weekend and enjoyed a…read morefabulous lunch: the lamb rump, the grilled tuna and the linguine were all fantastic. The beer garden is brilliant when the weather is good.